


The Hidden Heartbeat

by hazelnuthuntress



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-04
Updated: 2019-01-03
Packaged: 2019-10-04 00:26:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,950
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17294168
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hazelnuthuntress/pseuds/hazelnuthuntress
Summary: [plance collaboration between catbreeze212 and hazelnuthuntress]Pidge Gunderson has a problem: she has something she wants to tell Lance, but she can't bring herself to do it. So with the help of some friends and family and some rather creative methods, Pidge hopes Lance will get the message.





	1. Chapter 1

**written by hazelnuthuntress**

"Oh quiznak." Katie McClain stood in the bathroom, holding the seventeenth pregnancy test she'd tested that day. After every _single_ one had tested positive, she was finally coming to terms with the truth. She was, in fact, pregnant. "Oh quiznaking crowfood! Maybe I need to buy another one-" She stopped herself, looking in the mirror at her sleep-mussed hair. It was let down and flowed over her shoulders, barely touching her collar bones. A deep sigh left the lips of her reflection, and she looked at her hand which gripped the pregnancy test, as if squeezing it hard enough might change the truth. It's not that she didn't _want_ children, she just didn't think it would have been this _soon!_ Lance and Katie had only been married for about six months. And this wasn't something she was planning for, well, _years._ She'd needed sufficient time to adjust to the married life before adding other factors.

Well, now I've got to tell Lance... Her head buzzed with multiple situations and ways to go about it; all of them with rather unknown results. She was afraid of the unknown, of not having control over a situation. That had been a quirk of hers for years, which had somewhat faded over time. From exposure to Lance's wild ability to charm anyone out of their comfort zone, to Hunk's sweet way of feeding literally anybody who _breathed,_ Katie had kind of climbed out of her shell.

Being as science driven as she was, the girl highly valued having hard facts, things that were easily predictable and quantifiable. It wasn't that the unknown wasn't peculiar and peaked her curiosity, such as space and undiscovered lifeforms, just that the unknown _social-life_ wise threw obstacles at her that she didn't know how to solve by crunching numbers.

And now... she was faced with another obstacle that came with adult life, and it really shouldn't have been that hard! But she felt butterflies gather in her chest at the thought of telling Lance that she was pregnant. That the both of them would soon be raising a child. What if he wasn't ready or didn't want one yet? She knew that was ridiculous; Lance was constantly surrounded by children or family. He expressed his love for them on the daily. He even said he wanted kids. Maybe she was just anxious? However fiery she tended to be, Katie McClain did not like confrontation, positive or negative. That included giving feedback or delivering heavy news. It made her nervous and teary-eyed. It made her overthink, over _calculate_ the other person's reaction.

That was when she decided that she absolutely couldn't tell Lance. She'd freak out, have a meltdown, and she really didn't want that.

"I'll just call Mom, she'll help me figure this out." Lance wasn't coming back from a solo mission for another few hours, so Katie had plenty of time to figure out a solution to her problem.

Within a few seconds, she had rang her mom and was then lying on her bed, wrapping herself in multiple blankets.

"Hey, Mom!" At least she could tell her own mother. It wasn't really the same as telling Lance. "I, um, have something I need to tell you that I need some help with..."

\---

After her rather enthusiastic reaction, Mrs. Colleen Holt sprang straight into giving her daughter ideas. "A Rube Goldberg."

"How exactly would I send the message through that? Sounds cool, though," Katie said, swinging her feet through the air and watching the light on her ceiling filter through the cracks between her toes.

"The objects could include the various fruits and veggies that we compare baby growth to," Mrs. Holt said. "You start with a poppy seed, or a lot of them because I can't imagine a single poppy seed doing anything. Then it goes to a sesame seed, lentil, blueberry, kidney bean, etcetera. Hopefully he'll get the clue,  and if he doesn't, attach an actual baby doll somewhere in there."

That was a really smart idea. Katie would go out and buy the supplies, including random things like poppy seeds and kidney beans. It might take a few hours to set up, but if she got the help of Matt and bought herself some extra time, she might have been able to get it done.

Within two hours, she'd bought everything she needed for the Rube Goldberg, scattering supplies all over her living room floor. She'd set up the device in the guest bedroom, hoping Lance would connect the dots, considering the guest bedroom was to be set aside for any future children.

\---

"Holy crow, Pidge, your living room is a mess! What exactly do you need my help for again?" Matt waltzed into the room with slight swagger and began searching through her fridge for snacks. Katie smacked his hand as he reached for a carton of ice cream.

"Not for you," she said, placing it back in the freezer. "It's Lance's favorite flavor."

"Aw, how adorable." He instead settled for some celery. "Seriously, though. What's with the massive amount of poppy seeds?"

"I'm building a Rube Goldberg to show Lance I'm pregnant!"

Matt began choking on his celery. "Excuse me, you're what?"

"Building a Rube Goldberg." She smiled innocently at him, patting his back. "Shocking, I know, right? Those things are super cool and difficult to build."

"No, no... when did you find out you were pregnant?"

"Just today," Katie said.

"So... why aren't you just telling Lance, instead of spending a quiznaking long time building this thing?" he asked, getting comfortable on the couch.

"I dunno, I'm just anxious and very, very nervous!" She began putting things together and making sense of the mess on her floor. "I know there's no reason to be, but..."

"Confrontation, I know. I'll help you, Pidge," Matt said before joining her on the floor. "Just tell me what to do."

\---

"Pidgey? I'm home- holy _crow,_ what's all this?"

"Lance, close your mouth before you get a fly stuck in there," Katie said, smiling at her husband. "This... is something Matt and I spent a lot of time on. And it's _special_ to me, so I hope you like it!"

Matt stood beside his sister as she began the process. Little poppy seeds flowed down a metal pipe, spilling into a container until it weighed enough to push the container downwards and onto a metal plate that triggered multiple other steps, bringing sesame seeds, lentils, blueberries, grapes, each food object getting progressively bigger. Lance watched with intrigue, his ocean blue eyes watching each puzzle piece fall into place. A banana whipped through the air like a boomerang, introducing a carrot on the scene. Finally, the jackfruit collided with the watermelon and sent it rolling towards a box, knocking it over and revealing a baby doll.

Katie watched Lance's expression with great anticipation. Will he get it? Will he understand? Her heart raced.

"Wow, that was really cool!" Lance said, hugging Katie. "I liked the use of random food objects that got bigger each time. And plot twist! The baby doll. Great job, babe."

She growled slightly into his chest, making an attempt to smile at him before grabbing the banana off the floor and walking off.

Matt patted Lance on the back. "Good try, buddy. Good try."

 


	2. Chapter 2

**by catbreeze212**

_I cannot believe that failed so miserably._ Katie thought with a frown on her face as she dragged the wheelbarrow down the street to Hunk's house. The girl banged her fist on the front door.

"Pidge! Hey! It's so good to see you!" Hunk wrapped his arms around his friend.

"It's good to see you too." Katie smiled.

"What's all this?" Hunk looked at the wheelbarrow.

"Food. I was wondering if you wanted it to cook with," Katie replied.

"Sure! But uh... don't you need it?" Her friend questioned.

"No. My plan to tell Lance I'm pregnant completely failed." What she had just said didn't kick in until after she had finished talking.

"Pidge did you just say what I think you said?" Hunk stared at her in shock.

"Depends... what do you think I just said?" She asked, looking at the ground in embarrassment.

"I heard 'I'm pregnant,'" her friend replied.

Katie sighed, shoulders slumping in defeat. "Yeah, you heard right," Katie muttered.

"Pidge, congratulations!" Hunk lifted the small girl off the ground in a gentle bear hug.

"T-Thanks Hunk." She smiled as he set her back down.

"No proble- wait you said Lance doesn't know?" Hunk frowned.

"I haven't told him yet. I'm just... nervous. I-It's not that I don't want to tell him, I... I don't know." The girl ran her fingers through her hair.

"It's okay, Pidge. You don't have to explain. I can imagine that this is difficult." Her friend gave her a warm look.

"Hey, how about we take the food inside and I can help you come up with another plan, since your first one didn't work?" Hunk grinned.

Katie shrugged. "Sure."

"Did you have a plan in mind, Hunk?" Katie asked as she hopped up onto the kitchen island, watching her friend race around.

"Yep! So you know how people have gender reveal parties, and often use cakes that have a blue or pink inside with white frosting?" Hunk questioned.

"Yeah..."

"Okay, so, what if we made a cake, but made it half blue-half pink? Lance might make the connection!" The former yellow paladin dropped a bunch of baking supplies onto the island.

"That's actually a great idea!" Katie grinned, hopping down.

"Then let's get baking!"

After about a half-day of baking the duo had finished. "Oh my god how did we make such a mess baking a single cake? Hunk I'm so sorry, do you want me to help clean up after we give Lance the cake?" Katie asked worriedly.

"Nah, you don't have to do that. I had a bit of free time recently and made a robot that cleans the house for you." He shook his head.

"Oh cool! You'll have to show me sometime." The small girl grinned as they walked back to her house.

—-

"LANCE!" She screamed.

"Pidge what the heck?! Why are you so loud?!" Hunk winced.

"Because that fool can't hear squat with his headphones on! Seriously, if I put a lion next to him it'd be equivalent to a fly buzzing by your ear." Katie snorted.

"Oh."

"Yeah Pidge? I- HUNK HEY BUDDY!" Lance jumped off of the stairs, landing in front of his friend.

"Lance you could've broken something!" Hunk cried.

"Oh I know, we've already had to replace the banister a few times," Lance replied.

Hunk was quiet for a moment.

"Ooh! Cake!"

Katie jerked her arms backwards to keep the cake out of reach. "No touchie." She glared. Her husband looked at her like a dog that had just been denied a treat. "Cut it and then you can eat." Katie rolled her eyes. He grinned, rushing to the kitchen. The other two met him, setting the cake on the counter. Lance cut a decent-sized slice, somehow managing to shove the entire thing in his mouth at once. He looked like he had a beard there was so much frosting on his face.

"This is great! I love the split colors, it looks pretty with the white frosting! You two should cook more often!" he said after he finished chewing.

Hunk turned to look at Katie.

"Lance, can I borrow that knife?" She smiled, holding her hand out.

"Uh... sure." He gave her the handle end.

Katie stepped to the side, and threw the knife as hard as she could. It slammed into the wall. Without a word, the girl left, heading outside. The two boys stared at the knife. "You're gonna need to add 'kitchen wall' to the list of things you've had to replace."

 


	3. Chapter 3

**by hazelnuthuntress**

"What if you gave him mugs and plants?" Colleen Holt stirred the pot of soup she'd been making for dinner for herself and Sam. She was delighted to be able to help with her daughter's predicament.

"What... will that accomplish?" Katie raised an eyebrow. 

"Well, for one, do something simple and obvious. Mugs! You know, ones with 'World's Greatest Dad' written in plain lettering for Lance to see," Colleen said. "And add something a bit creative to the top... instead of drinking from the mugs, put plants in them. Specifically-"

"Baby's breath!" Katie slammed her hand on the table, standing out of her chair. "Nearly everyone knows what it looks like! If he can't get that hint..."

\---

Spoons clinked against bowls, taking up the hearty, warm silence in the dining room. The Holts, excluding Matt since he was away on a trip with his girlfriend, ate Colleen's perfectly seasoned soup.

"Seriously, you and Hunk would get along swell," Katie said with a full mouth. "Everything has so much flavor!"

"Hunk is a total sweetie," Colleen said. "Yes, we've met. And he's taught me a thing or two about cooking and how to use the herbs in my garden. I already see that boy going places."

Speaking of herbs and plants, Katie's eyes flickered to the 'potted' baby's breath flowers on the kitchen counter, two mugs- 'World's Best Mom' and 'World's best Dad'- boasting the little white blossoms. She planned on taking them home soon after lunch, knowing that Lance got home from work at the Garrison as a teacher in a few hours. She'd sit him down for a cup of coffee (or hot cocoa in his case, since he found coffee to be a bit bitter) and start a conversation about the new table centerpieces. 

"So Lance still hasn't gotten the message?" Sam ran a hand through his gray hair, amber eyes meeting his daughter's. 

Katie jumped to her husband's defense. "He's just having trouble putting all the pieces of the puzzle together, that's all. I'll admit not everyone's familiar with the certain foods associated with fetus sizes."

"But the baby at the end!" Colleen said. "Matt showed me a video of the whole thing. The baby!"

"Yeah, yeah, I know..." Katie sighed, looking down into her bowl. Her mother placed a hand on hers from across the table.

"We're just teasing you, Pidge," she said. "We know Lance, and he's a very intelligent man. He must just be distracted. Teaching isn't easy, and sometimes when the signs are right in front of us, we tend to ignore them."

She mulled over her mother's words on the ride home, the two potted baby's breath plants in the passenger seat beside her. _Sometimes when the signs are right in front of us, we tend to ignore them._ Why did that sound familiar to her, not in words, but in essence? Maybe it was because she and Lance had... happened like that. They'd known each other for years, but had only been in a relationship for a small fraction of the time they'd known each other. Katie remembered that when she first realized she loved Lance, she was upset seeing him flirt with practically everything identified as female except for her. And she paid him so much attention! 

She laughed to herself in the car. This was just their thing, hers and Lance's. They were oblivious to all the obvious, including each other. She just hoped with every particle of her being that he got this sign. The more she thought about it, though, the news... her being _pregnant_... the less she felt the fear of telling him. This was Lance she was talking about! He'd be thrilled! 

"I'll tell him tonight, at dinner." 

\---

Everything was set up as she wanted it. The hours that had passed between Lance coming home, kissing her, and turning to his office to grade papers and dinner were agonizingly slow to Katie. She couldn't just tell him at any time; it had to be at dinner. It had to be special. She'd baked a four cheese mac and cheese from a recipe her mother that she absolutely adored. And Katie made Lance's favorite garlic knots alongside that, and ice cream floats for desert. 

"Lance, dinner's ready," she said, standing in the doorway to the office. Katie approached him from behind, placing a hand on his shoulder and watching him scribble a last few words on a student's quiz in his impeccably elegant handwriting. From what she saw, the student was doing well. Katie smiled proudly, deeming this unknown's success to her husband's teaching skills. He was a great pilot, and it warmed her to know he was passing on some of that to the next generation.

"Hey, Pidgey," he said warmly, leaning back into her a little. "I'm coming." He stood and took her hand in his, humming something and walking with a little bounce in his step. She loved that about him, how he could still remain enthusiastic although his job must sap his energy every day. She was an inventor, satisfied with the solitude her career gave her. 

She dished out the food and brought two plates to the table, careful not to drop them. Somehow, she felt calm, though Katie guessed she could equate that to the quiet before the storm. Or maybe she was numb with nerves. 

"These are pretty flowers, _mi paloma_ ," Lance said, poking at the baby's breath. "Aren't these... baby's breath?"

Katie nodded a bit excitedly. "Yep! And do you like the mugs they're in?"

He turned the mug closest to him, long, slender fingers grazing the glass. "'World's Greatest Dad,'" he muttered to himself, then reached for Katie's. Blue eyes met hers, and she could see the puzzle pieces sliding into place. "Katie, are you...?"

 

 

 

 


End file.
